It is undeniable that skylights bring a certain element of luxury and refinement to a room. Although they are welcome additions in homes with too few windows, they require special care. If they are not cared for properly, they can easily fall apart and make that perfect room look gloomy and drab.
If you are wondering how much maintenance the skylight will require, you don’t have to worry. For the most part, it does not require much maintenance. If you’ve gotten a high-quality skylight installed, it will last for years if you regularly and properly clean it. You may also need to occasionally repaint the mounting for your skylight to reseal the wood. The cleaning method you adopt may vary from one skylight to another. In this post, we’ve outlined 4 techniques you can use to clean your skylights. If you’re unsure about it, you can always contact your contractor for confirmation.
Skylights Are Very Different from Windows
Most skylights that are installed in homes are made of acrylic or polycarbonate. Both these materials can be easily damaged by cleaning products containing ammonia – a chemical found in a lot of cleaners. Even regular household window cleaners can damage your skylights! So, you have to make sure you know what material your skylight is made of before you can begin cleaning it.
Materials That You Can Use for Safely Cleaning the Skylights
If the skylight constructed in your home and the seals are made of acrylic or polycarbonate, you can use the following to materials to clean them:
- A bucket for holding water
- Liquid dish soap
- A long-handled floor mop
- A long-handled cellulose sponge mop or a cellulose sponge
- Auto wax
- Cleaning cloths
- Power washer
Important Side Note
While you need to make sure you get the appropriate materials for the skylight, there’s one other thing you must also make sure of, safety for you. This should be your number one priority. If you are afraid of heights, if you don’t feel comfortable climbing a tall ladder or if you can’t comfortably reach the window you plan to clean with a ladder, find an alternative or get someone to help you. You can also choose to use a long-handled mop or a long-handled cellulose sponge mop. If there’s no one to help you or if you still can’t reach the skylight with a long-handled mop, consider hiring a maid service.
Cleaning the Skylights from the Inside
Step 1:
Get on a ladder with a clean dry cloth, or grab a long-handled mop that’s dry, and start by removing all dust and debris that have accumulated on your skylights.
Step 2:
Once you’ve removed all the debris and dust from the skylights, fill a bucket or basin with warm water. To that water add a few drops of liquid dish soap.
Step 3:
You can use the soap and water mixture to clean the skylights. You can soak the cellulose sponge you got in the mixture and wring it out before gently washing the window with it. You can either wash it by hand or use a long-handled mop.
Step 4:
The final step requires you to replace the soapy water with cool, clean water. Use the same sponge you used in the previous step – rinse it out and soak the sponge in the clean water. Wring the excess water out and start removing the soap from the skylights.
Step 5:
Finish by applying a thin layer of auto wax on it.
Cleaning the Skylights from the Outside
Just like with windows, you can’t clean them from just the inside. While you can wait for rainfall to naturally clean them from outside, it wouldn’t make sense to wait weeks for it to happen. Especially after you’ve put a lot of time and effort into cleaning it from the indie. Instead of watching streaks and dirt showing from the outside, it would be a better choice to get it done yourself.
Step 1:
The easiest and best way to clean the outsides is to access the roof. Remember to be careful while you are there. You can also hire someone else to do it for you if you think you’ll not be able to do it.
Step 2:
You can choose to proceed the same way you did when cleaning from the inside. Or you can choose an easier solution: using a power washer. It’s a faster and more efficient way of getting the job done. You’ll also not have to stay on the roof for a long period of time. Instead of filling the power washer with regular cleaning products as you would usually do, fill it with the same mixture from before: water with a few drops of liquid dish soap.
Step 3:
Use the power washer to spray away all dirt and debris on the skylights.
Step 4:
Once you’ve gotten rid of all dirt and debris, switch the power washer to non-soapy, clean water and spray again until all the soap suds are gone.
Step 5:
Let the skylights dry naturally and apply a thin layer of auto wax on it.
